The jesters of the Chrysanthemum Empire pride themselves on being the best in the world, and their order honors the seven gods of japery: the Jester, the Prankster, the Gambler, the Artist, the Ever-Shifting God, the Mad God, and the Flowerlady. Men and women the world over who wanted to be comedic performers, fools, clowns, or tumblers would come to the Chrysanthemum Empire to learn the crafts from the masters.

Boleo Oleno never knew exactly where he was from. His family traveled a lot, being part of a circus, and he had such a ridiculous name that it couldn't be anything but made up for the circus. Not having proof otherwise, he always claimed to be one of the Flowerkin. He told his parents when he was five that he was going to be a jester of the Imperial Courts of the Chrysanthemum Empire, and when he was twelve, they arranged for him to be schooled there. He quickly found out he was not a Flowerkin, but he didn't care. He was amongst them, and that was enough. He began learning every trick of the trade, and he soon realized something else: these people took comedy way too seriously.

Boleo took to the pranks and hoaxes quickly, and his knack for trouble landed him in more than one hot seat. He became pegged as trouble before he could start it, and before long, he was into petty crime in the city. One day, the school officials didn't come right away to bail him out. Instead, it was a woman from the Pyrite Temples. She took him back to the local temple and fed him, then started asking him questions. She found a young man who had a passion, a strong sense of right and wrong, and an itch for mischief. She took him under her wing.

Six years later, he graduated as a fool, but he had long since become a Grinning Man. Taking up a place in the circus, he began to travel Jesenya once more, but with a mission or two in mind.